Photocatalytic Water Pollutant Treatment: Fundamental, Analysis and Benchmarking

Power-free, light-driven catalysis-based water treatment is a green approach compared to chemical-based water treatment techniques. In this context, a broad range of photocatalytic material is demonstrated for organic water pollutant treatment. However, understanding catalysis reaction at pollutant environment and by-product formation are ambiguous. In this view, this chapter discusses insights of photocatalysis in organic water pollutant treatment at different pollutants (textile dye, pharmaceutical drug and pesticide) using TiO2 as benchmarking photocatalyst. The analytical tools for evaluating the light-active and colourless pollutant before and after photocatalytic experiments are elaborately discussed. A comprehensive discussion on TiO2-based photocatalysis at different strategies such as metal doping, coated on host surface, and varying pH of the solution are clearly explaining the interrelationship between properties of semiconductor catalysts, processing parameters and photocatalytic performance. This chapter is resourceful for fundamental researchers on how to choose the photocatalysis experimental techniques for organic water pollutant treatment.